Crime Stoppers rewards waiting at the bank
The Laurens County Crime Stoppers Board of Directors announced this week that it has paid out two rewards for tips that led to the arrest of three people on multiple charges.
Capt. Mickey Coats of the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office said the first arrest came on Nov. 8, when a tip led narcotics agents to a home at 1298 Mordeci Mountain Road in Gray Court, where deputies discovered a marijuana growing operation, confiscating several pounds of marijuana and over 100 plants.
Coats said that deputies arrested Malcoum David Byerly, 59, of that address, and Rodney Eric Moreton, 62, of Elijah Road in Gray Court. Both men were charged with drug trafficking and manufacturing marijuana. Moreton was released on an $85,000 bond on Nov. 8, while Byerly was released on a $75,000 bond on Nov. 9.
Coats said deputies made another arrest on Nov. 10, when a Crime Stoppers tip led deputies to discover a stolen moped and a stolen truck at the home of Melissa Ann Miller on Woodford Place Ct. in Gray Court. Coats said Miller was also in possession of methamphetamine and other narcotics. She was charged with possession of stolen goods, possession of meth and two counts of possession of a controlled substance.
Miller was booked at the Johnson Detention Center, where she remained as of Thursday afternoon on a $10,000 bond.
Coats said that, in addition to the two rewards that were approved last week, there are several other Crime Stopper rewards that are still sitting at the bank.
“We’ve got some rewards out there that people have never collected,” he said. “There are some still floating around out there.”
When callers leave a tip, they are given an identification number. The tipster can then call back at a later date and give that number to see if their tip is eligible for a reward. All tips received by Crime Stoppers remain anonymous, even when rewards are given out. Checks are made out to a reference number instead of an individual, who receives cash from the bank. The Crime Stoppers board will only know if a reward has been collected when the check is voided.
Crime Stoppers of Laurens County is an independent board of business and community leaders who work with all local law enforcement. Individual, business and corporate donations support all rewards. To make a donation, contact Laurens County Crime Stoppers President Jim Firmin at (864) 682-3111.
To leave a tip with Crime Stoppers, or to see if your tip has been approved for a reward, call (864) 68-CRIME.
Coats said not all tips lead to an arrest, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t helpful.
“We look at all the tips,” he said. “We can’t always use it right now, but we always put that aside as information. In a month, it could turn into something.”
